JPH0673032B2 - Positioning device for developing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electrophotographic copying machine, and more particularly to an apparatus in the copying machine, for example, an apparatus for positioning a developing device with respect to a recording medium.

<Prior Art> An electrophotographic copying machine includes a recording medium having a photoconductive layer, a so-called photoconductor. This photoconductor is formed in a drum shape, for example, and an apparatus for image formation is arranged so as to face the periphery thereof. Therefore, the electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor by being charged and imagewise exposed. The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device, and the developed image (toner image) is appropriately transferred to a transfer material. After the transfer of the image, a part of the image (toner) remains on the photoconductor, and by removing this toner, the photoconductor is prepared for the next image formation. A cleaning device is provided facing the photoconductor in order to remove the toner on the photoconductor.

A photoconductor for image formation is rotatably supported in the center of the copying machine body. When replacing or cleaning the photoconductor, the photoconductor is taken out of the copying machine main body. The photoconductor is taken out in the axial direction for rotating the photoconductor. If the photoconductor is pulled out in this manner, the surface of the photoconductor is often soiled with dirt or the like at the time of replacement or attachment of the photoconductor after cleaning. Also,
A developing device, a cleaning device, and the like are provided facing the photoconductor. The developing device and the cleaning device are positioned at fixed positions with respect to the photoconductor, and adjustment of these positions is very troublesome. In addition, the developing device and the like can be attached to and detached from the main body of the copying machine in order to replace the developer and replenish toner. Therefore, the adjustment of the mutual positional relationship was more troublesome.

The above is to attach / detach each device in the main body of the copying machine individually, and it is necessary to perform the exchange etc. individually, and the attachment / detachment operation is very troublesome because the positioning and the like are performed. Therefore, a device that integrates a part of the device facing the photoconductor and replaces the integrated device is disclosed in
58-54392. In this system, the photoconductor, the developing device and the cleaning device are attached to the same supporting member, and the supporting member is slidably provided on the main body of the copying machine to be attached and detached. In this case, since the photoconductor, the developing device, and the cleaning device are positioned and attached to the support member, there is no need to adjust their positions when they are attached, and the replacement operation is very simple. However, even if the photosensitive member alone cannot be replaced and other devices can be used, it is necessary to replace the other devices, which is very economical.

Further, since the developing device cannot be replaced, for example, when developing with a toner other than black, it is necessary to provide a unit including a photoconductor, a cleaning device, etc. for each toner color. Therefore, not only the operation of replacing the entire unit is troublesome, but also a place for disposing an unused unit or the like must be secured.

<Purpose> The present invention provides a device in which at least a developing device facing a recording medium is integrated in the same member, the developing device alone can be replaced, and the positioning with respect to the recording medium is ensured.

<Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an electrophotographic copying machine according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a platen made of a transparent glass plate for placing an original of a copying machine, 2 is an automatic document feeder (ADF) provided on the platen, and 3 is a reflected light image from the document on the platen. Lens 4 for forming an image on the surface of the photoconductor as a recording medium
, 5 is a drum-shaped photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer made of arsenic selenium (As ₂ Se ₃ ) or the like, 6 is a main corona discharger for uniformly charging the photosensitive member to a specific polarity, Reference numeral 7 is an exposure position on the photosensitive member by the above optical system, 8 is a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member with colored toner,
Reference numeral 9 denotes a transfer corona discharger for transferring the toner image on the photoconductor, which is developed on the paper, which is appropriately sent through the synchronous roller 10, and 11 is an AC corona for electrostatically peeling the paper from the photoconductor. A discharger, 12 is an AC corona discharger for removing electric charges remaining on the photoconductor, 13 is a cleaning device for removing toner remaining on the photoconductor, and 14 is a uniform surface potential of the photoconductor prior to the next image formation. A charge eliminating lamp 15 is a non-image area erasing lamp that removes the electric charge in unnecessary areas of the photoconductor after uniform charging.

Further, the sheet after transfer is peeled off from the photoconductor 5 by the action of the AC corona discharger 11 so that the electrostatic attraction force with the photoconductor 5 is weakened and the stiffness of the paper itself makes it weak. The peeled sheet is conveyed by the conveyor belt 16 provided between the peeling position and the fixing roller 17. The conveyor belt 16 is equipped with an air suction means for sucking the back surface of the paper, that is, the surface supporting the toner image and the opposite surface to the belt, and by transporting the conveyor belt 16, the paper is fixed without disturbing the toner image. Laura 17
Carry to. The fixing roller 17 is, for example, a heat fixing roller whose surface facing the toner is heated to a temperature at which it can be fixed, and heat-fixes the toner image on the conveyed paper. A paper discharge roller 18 is provided at the paper output portion of the fixing roller 17, and the paper sent through the fixing roller 17 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 19 via the paper discharge roller 18.

The above paper is a paper feed cassette 2 that can be attached to and detached from the copier body.
0, the paper feed tray 21, the paper feed tray 22, and the like are housed, and the paper feed rollers 23, 24, 25, and 26 provided facing each other are selectively driven to be fed to the synchronous roller 10. The sheet sent to the synchronous roller 10 is sent to the transfer position by driving the synchronous roller 10 in synchronization with the rotation of the photoconductor 5. That is, the synchronous roller 10 is arranged so that the image forming front end of the photoconductor 5 and the paper front end are aligned at the transfer position.
The drive is controlled in synchronization with the rotation of the above.

In the copying machine having the above structure, the photoconductor 5 is provided so as to be pulled out in the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the photoconductor 5 is attached by a slide member 27 to a support frame 28 constituting a process unit slidably provided with respect to the main body of the copying machine via a photoconductor attachment member 29. ing. In addition to the photoconductor 5, the support frame 28 is provided with a part of a device that faces the photoconductor and forms an image. That is, the devices arranged on the support frame 28 are the main corona discharger 6, the developing device 8, the cleaning device 13, the charge eliminating lamp 14 and the non-image area erasing lamp 15. Here, since the AC corona discharger 12 for static elimination is provided with the AC corona discharger 11 for stripping and the static elimination lamp 14, there is no problem in image formation even if they are not provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the photoconductor 5 is rotatably held by a shaft 30, and the shaft 30 is fixed to a photoconductor mounting member 29. The photoconductor mounting member 29 is supported by the shaft 31 on the support frame 28.
It is rotatably supported by. One end of the shaft 31 penetrates the support frame 28, and the protrusion is provided with a manual knob for rotating the photosensitive member.
32 is attached, and the other end of the shaft 31 is attached with a transmission member (not shown) which penetrates the support frame 28 and is coupled to a driving force transmission member provided on the copying machine main body side. A gear 33 for rotating the photoconductor 5 is fixed to the shaft 31.

Further, as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 4, the photoconductor 5 is held between the flanges 36 and 37 provided on the shaft 30 via bearings 34 and 35. A gear 38 for rotating the photoconductor is attached to the bearing 34 to which the flange 36 is attached, and the gear 38 meshes with the gear 33. Therefore, by rotating the shaft 31 by the driving force transmitted from the knob 32 or the copying machine main body side,
The photoconductor 5 is rotated via the gears 33 and 38. The flange 36 is fixed on the shaft 30, that is, the bearing 34 is fixed at the position shown in the figure, and the flange 37 is movably provided along the shaft 30. A fixing member 39 for fixing the photoconductor is screwed onto the shaft 30 in correspondence with the flange 37. The fixing member 39 is
When tightened to the left, the photoconductor 5 is firmly fixed between the flanges. When the fixing member 39 is removed from the shaft 30,
The flange 37 can be removed from the shaft 30, and the photoconductor 5 held between the flanges can be removed and replaced with a new one.

D-cuts 40 for attaching the photoconductor 5 to the attachment member 20 are provided at both ends of the rotation center shaft 30 of the photoconductor 5. Corresponding to the D cut 40, the mounting member 29 side is formed with a shaft insertion port 42 communicating with a hole 41 for holding the shaft 30 as shown in FIG. . Photoconductor 5
The attachment / detachment of the shaft 30 holding the shaft to / from the mounting member 29 is carried out by rotating the mounting member 29 counterclockwise with respect to the support frame 28 in FIGS. 5 and 6 to communicate with the shaft holding hole 41. The insertion port 42 is directed upward, the D-cut 40 of the shaft 30 is aligned with the insertion port 42, and the shaft 30 is pulled out or inserted, so that the shaft 30 can be easily attached and detached. At this time, if the shaft 30 is rotated counterclockwise, the D-cut 40 is disengaged from the insertion port 42 as shown in FIG. 6, and the shaft 30 is held in the hole 41 to prevent the shaft 30 from falling off. Therefore, in order to rotate the shaft 30, a lever 43 is fixed to the shaft 30, and the lever 43 is screwed to the mounting member 29 with a screw 430 as shown in FIG. Will be retained.

The mounting member 29 for mounting the photoconductor 5 includes a mounting member.
A locking member 44 for holding the 29 in the open position (the state shown in FIG. 6) is provided so as to be retractable. The locking member 44 is
It is attached to a shaft 45 that is rotatably provided on the attachment member 29, and is configured to be retracted by rotating the shaft 45. A lever 46 for rotation is fixed to one end of the shaft 45. A knob 47 fixed to the mounting member 29 is provided corresponding to the lever 46. Therefore, by sandwiching between the lever 46 and the knob 47, the shaft 45 can be rotated and the locking member 44 will be retracted. Corresponding to the locking member 44, a locking piece 48 is provided on the support frame 28 side. Therefore, the mounting member 29 is rotated as shown in FIG.
By rotating, the locking member 44 can be locked to the locking piece 48, and the mounting member 29 can be held at that position. In the released state shown in FIG. 6, since the surface of the photoconductor 5 is exposed, the surface of the photoconductor 5 can be easily polished. At this time,
Use the knob 32 to polish the surface of the photoconductor 5
Can be rotated manually. As a result, when the surface of the photoconductor 5 is cleaned, the photoconductor 5 can be cleaned in the holding state without being removed, so that the photoconductor 5 can be easily and surely cleaned without being soiled with a hand or the like.
In this case, the photoconductive layer of the photoconductor 5 such as As ₂ Se ₃ is coated with a thickness of about 60 μm on the Al surface and is polished by 0.2 to 0.5 μm during one cleaning (polishing). To be done.

The mounting member 29 also mounts devices other than the photoconductor 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the device attached to the attachment member 29 is a discharger guide member 49 for detachably holding the discharge lamp 14 and the main corona discharger 6 for uniformly charging the photoconductor 5. And a non-image area erasing lamp 15. Then, the positioning shaft 50 for ensuring the positional relationship between the developing device 8 and the photoconductor 5, that is, for performing a reliable positioning, is provided with a mounting member 29
It is fixed to. The positioning shaft 50 engages with a positioning portion provided in the developing device 8 which will be described next, and reliably positions the developing device 8. Further, the mounting member 29 holding the photoconductor 5 is prevented from further rotating by locking both ends of 45 to both sides of the support frame 28 as shown in FIG. As a result, the development position of the photoconductor 5 is regulated.

Next, the developing device 8 for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductor 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, in the developing device 8, the developing tank 51 and the toner hopper 52 are integrally formed with screws or the like, and the side surface of the developing tank 51 and the photoconductor 5 have a constant space. A spacing collar 53 for keeping is rotatably mounted. A guide member 54 for moving the developing device 8 itself in the horizontal direction is integrally formed on the side surface of the developing tank 51. A positioning portion 55 is formed at the tip of the developing tank 51 so as to correspond to the positioning shaft 50 provided on the mounting member 29 of the photoconductor 5, and the developing device 8 is horizontally arranged at the rear end. Engagement part for moving along
56 is integrally formed.

As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 8, a developing roller 57 and stirring rollers 58 and 59 for stirring the developer are rotatably provided inside the developing device 8, that is, inside the developing tank 51. . Developing roller 5
7 has a magnet in a cylindrical non-magnetic sleeve,
For example, by rotating the sleeve, the developer attracted by the magnetic force onto the sleeve is conveyed to the developing area facing the photoconductor 5. As a result, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor 5 is developed. The stirring rollers 58, 59 provided opposite to the developing roller 57 stir the toner supplied from the toner hopper 52 via the toner supply roller 60, and send the toner to the developing roller 57.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 9, the developing roller 57 and the stirring rollers 58 and 59 are meshed with gears 61, 62 and 63 fixed to one end of each rotary shaft. The gear 63 on the stirring roller 59 meshes with a gear 64 rotatably provided at a fixed position of the support frame 28 when the developing device 8 is moved to a position away from the developing area with the photoconductor 5. is there. As shown in FIG. 2, the developing device 8 can be mounted and dismounted from above when the support frame 28 is pulled out and the device 8 is moved to a position outside the developing area. To that end, the support frame 28
A positioning lever 65 for moving the developing device is provided on the side. A shaft 67 provided in a long hole 66 (see FIG. 10) formed in the support frame 28 penetrates through the positioning lever 65, and the shaft 67 is provided at a fixed position of the support frame 28 and has a gear 64. Corresponding to, the gear 68 is fixed. The positioning lever 65 is rotatably provided around a shaft 69. axis
69 is movably provided in a long hole 70 formed in the support frame 28, and is always urged downward by urging means (not shown). Therefore, by rotating the positioning lever 65, the shaft 67 causes the elongated hole 66 formed in the horizontal direction to move.
Will be moved along. Compensating for this horizontal movement is a long hole 70 formed perpendicular to the long hole 66.

The shaft 67 is provided so as to correspond to the engaging portion 56 of the developing device 8. When the developing device 8 is mounted on the support frame 28, the shaft 67 engages with the engaging portion 56 as shown in FIG. To meet. this is,
As shown in FIG. 10A, when the positioning lever 65 is rotated counterclockwise and the shaft 67 is positioned in the state shown in FIG. 10B, the developing device 8 can be detached from or mounted on the support frame 28. It becomes a state. Therefore, the engaging portion 56 of the developing device 8 is engaged with the shaft 67 when the developing device 8 is mounted at the detachable position, and the positioning lever 65 moves the developing device 8 to the developing position facing the photoconductor 5. It In addition, a support frame corresponding to the guide member 54 provided on the side surface of the developing tank 51.
On the 28 side, a guide body 71 formed so as to sandwich the guide member 54 is provided. When the developing device 8 is mounted, the guide member 54 is supported by the guide body 71a on the support frame side.
As a result, the developing device 8 is held by the support frame 28. When the lever 65 is rotated clockwise from the state of FIG. 10B, the developing device 8 moves to the left in the guide member.
71, the spacing collar 53 comes into contact with the peripheral edge of the photoconductor 5 and the positioning portion 55 comes into contact with the shaft 50, and the positioning of the developing device 8 is completed. At this time, in the developing device 8, not only the gap between the photoconductor 5 and the developing device 8 is ensured by the gap collar 53, but also the shaft 50 and the positioning portion 55 can surely position the photoconductor 5 and the photoconductor 5 is vibrated vertically. The distance between will not be shifted. That is, the positioning shaft 50 fixed to the mounting member 29 that rotatably supports the photoconductor 5 is, for example,
As shown in FIG. 10A, the gap collar 53 and the photosensitive member 5 are positioned above the abutting portion, and in particular, the straight line connecting the abutting portion and the shaft 50 is positioned substantially orthogonal to the moving direction of the developing device. Has been. That is, the positioning shaft 50 is positioned in the vertical direction of the contact portion between the spacing collar 53 and the photoconductor 5. Therefore, the vibration prevents the vertical movement and the movement of the developing device in the movement direction, so that the distance between the developing roller 57 and the photoconductor 5 is always kept constant.

In this case, if the shaft 50 is provided in the moving direction of the developing device 8, that is, in a position along the linear direction of the rotating shaft of the photoconductor 5 and the contact portion, the developing device moves in the moving direction and moves in the vertical direction. You can't hope to prevent it.

In the positioning with the above configuration, the gear 63 and the like mesh with the driving force transmitting means on the copying machine body side, and the developing roller 57 and the like are rotated.

The developing device 8 can be separated from the photoconductor 5 and can be separated from the support frame 28 by rotating the positioning lever 65 to the position shown in FIG. 10B. In this position, as described above, the gear 68 of the shaft 67 is replaced by the gear 64 of the support frame 28.
And the gear 64 meshes with the gear 63 of the developing device 8.
Therefore, by rotating the shaft 67, the developing roller 57 and the stirring rollers 58, 59 in the developing tank 51 are rotated, and the developer is stirred. In order to perform this rotation, a manual stirring knob 72 is fixed to one end of the shaft 67.

As described above, the positioning lever 65 has a developing position for moving the developing device 8 and positioning it with respect to the photoconductor 5, and a moving mechanism for moving the developing device 8 from this developing position to a position at which the developing device 8 can be attached and detached. It is configured by including long holes 66, 70, etc.,
The developing device 8 is moved to the developing position to be positioned with respect to the photoconductor 5 and at the same time maintained at the developing position, and the maintenance state is released to move the developing device 8 to the opposite side to the attaching / detaching position. By separating the developing device 8 from 5, the detachment or mounting of the developing device 8 is facilitated.

Next, the transport system for transporting the paper to the transfer position of the photoconductor 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 11. The synchronous roller 10 that feeds the paper to the transfer position in synchronization with the rotation of the photoconductor 5 is provided on the support frame 28 and feeds the paper through the conveyance path formed by the guide plates 72 and 73. One end of each of the guide plates 72 and 73 is attached to the support frame 28.
It is rotatably supported by 74 and 75, and the other end is the photoconductor 5.
The transfer position is extended to the peripheral surface. The guide plates 72 and 73 act by their own weight so as to always hang downwards about the shafts 74 and 75. In order to hold this in the position shown in the figure,
It is held by a holding leaf spring 76. The leaf spring 76 has one end fixed to a support body 77 that supports the conveyor belt 16 and the air suction means, and its free end holds the guide plate 73. Further, the guide plate 72 is provided with a guide 73 and a spacing member 78
Are held at a constant interval and are held at the positions shown in the figure.

The support 77 is rotatably supported by the main body of the copying machine by a shaft 79. In addition to the conveyor belt 16, the transfer corona discharger 9 and the AC corona discharger 11 are detachably attached to the support 77. The transfer corona discharger 9 and the AC corona discharger 11 are attached to the support body 77, for example, with a margin so that they can swing up and down, and the corona discharge wire is fixed in order to perform positioning with the photoconductor 5. The insulating member is formed so as to match the shape of the support frame 28. Therefore, if the support 77 is positioned as shown in the figure, the insulating members of the corona dischargers 9 and 11 are brought into contact with the support frame 28 and the positioning with respect to the photoconductor 5 is performed. Such a support body 77 is held in a state shown in the drawing by a support arm 81 rotatably supported by a shaft 80 on the main body of the copying machine.

The support arm 81 has a roller 82 rotatably provided at a portion in contact with the support body 77. . Although not shown, a knob for rotating the arm 81 is appropriately attached to the support arm 81. Further, the support arm 81 is connected with a conveyance body 84 for conveying a sheet via a connection piece 83. Connecting piece
Both ends of 83 are rotatably attached to the support arm 81 and the carrier 84. The carrier 84 is rotatably provided on the main body of the copying machine about a shaft 840, and guides the paper fed from each paper feed unit to the synchronous roller 10 as described in FIG. One of the guide plates 85 and one of the driven rollers 86 and 87 for conveying the sheet are provided. The rollers 88 and 89 facing the rollers 86 and 87 are provided on the body side of the copying machine and are driving rollers to which the driving force is transmitted. A driven roller 90 is further provided so as to face the roller 88, and the paper fed by the paper feed roller 25 is fed to the rollers 86 and 88. Further, the transport rollers 87 and 89 are located at the confluence portion of the transport path of the paper sent via the respective paper feed rollers, and send the paper to the synchronous roller 10.

In the structure as described above, the support arm 81 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure when jamming a sheet or pulling out the support frame 28. At this time, as shown in FIG. 12, the support body 77 hangs down about the shaft 79 in the clockwise direction by its own weight, and the carrier body 84 is rotated counterclockwise through the connecting piece 83. As a result, the transport path in the transport system is opened, and the jammed paper can be easily processed. Further, when the support 77 hangs down, the guide plate 7 that guides the paper to the transfer position.
2,73 also hangs under its own weight. This droop is restricted by a stopper 91 provided on the support frame 28. Therefore, the paper that is in close contact with the photoconductor 5 or the like is reliably peeled off, and the paper is easily processed. The support frame 28 can be pulled out only when the support arm 81 is in the state shown in FIG.
This is because the support member 77 is provided with a restricting member 92, and the restricting member 92 prevents the support frame 28 from being drawn out. However, by releasing the transport system by the support arm 81, when the regulation member 92 is released from the regulation position (the state shown in FIG. 12), the support frame 28 can be pulled out.

On the other hand, when the support arm 81 is rotated clockwise,
77 is lifted, the guide plates 72, 73 are pushed up by the leaf spring 76, and the tip of the guide plates 72, 73 is positioned near the transfer position facing the photoconductor 5. The guide plate 72 is positioned at a fixed position by a positioning stopper 93.

Next, the cleaning device 13 for cleaning the toner remaining on the photoconductor 5 will be described. Cleaning device
A cleaning blade 95 is provided inside the box 94, and the residual toner is removed by pressing the tip of the cleaning blade 95 against the photoconductor 5. This cleaning device
Also in 13, the support frame 28 is detachably provided. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, cleaner guides 96a and 96b are provided on the support frame 28 so as to sandwich the box body 94 of the cleaning device 13. As shown in FIG. 13, the box 94 of the cleaning device 13 has an engaging pin 97 for fixation fixed to the upper part thereof, and a cleaner guide 96a,
A screw hole 98 that is screwed to 96b is formed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 14, the cleaner guide 96a is provided with an engaging hole 99 corresponding to the engaging pin 97. The hole 99 is formed in an L shape as shown in the figure. In the figure
100 is a screw hole for screwing. To remove the cleaning device 13 from the support frame 28, after removing all the screws, the box 94 may be moved to the right with respect to the axis of the photoconductor 5 and pulled out to the front. For mounting, the operation reverse to the above may be performed.

The operation of replacing or cleaning the photoconductor 5 in the above-described structure will be described. First, the front door (not shown) of the main body of the copying machine is opened, the supporting arm 81 is rotated counterclockwise, and the supporting body 77 and the conveying body 84 are also rotated to open the conveying system. With the transport system open, the support frame 28 is pulled out toward the front door. The pulled out state is as shown in FIG.

Next, the positioning lever 65 provided on the pulled-out support frame 28 is rotated counterclockwise. As a result, the developing device 8 is moved to the right in the figure (state of FIG. 10B),
It is separated from the photoconductor 5 by a large distance. In this state, by removing a screw or the like that fixes between the support frame 28 and the mounting member 29 of the photosensitive member 5, the mounting member 29 becomes rotatable about the shaft 31 and can be rotated counterclockwise, for example. When the locking member 44 is moved, the locking member 44 is locked to the locking piece 48 as shown in FIG. 6 and held in that state.

When the mounting member 29 is opened as shown in FIG.
Part of the surface is exposed. Therefore, the photoconductor 5 can be cleaned while being attached to the attachment member 29.
At this time, the photoconductor 5 is rotated at the time of cleaning, but is rotated via the manual knob 32 to do this, so that the entire area is easily cleaned. Since the cleaning can be performed while keeping the photoconductor 5 in this manner, there is no risk of soiling the photoconductor surface with a hand or the like, and reliable cleaning is possible.

Also, when replacing the photoconductor 5, use the screw in the state shown in FIG.
Remove 430 and turn lever 43 clockwise in the figure. As a result, the D-cut 40 portion of the shaft 30 for holding the photoconductor 5 faces the insertion opening 42. Therefore, the shaft 30 can be removed from the mounting member 29 along the insertion opening 42. Mounting member
As shown in FIG. 4, the photoconductor 5 taken out from 29 can be removed from the shaft 30 by removing the fixing member 39 and the flange 37 from the shaft 30, and a new one can be replaced. In this way, the photoconductor 5 is replaced, and the mounting thereof can be easily performed by the reverse operation as described above.

Next, the developing device 8 will be described. The replacement of the developing device 8 is performed when the color of the developing toner is changed or when the developer is replaced. The developing device 8 has the positioning lever after the support frame 28 is pulled out as described above.
When 65 is rotated counterclockwise in the state of FIG. 10A, it is separated from the photoconductor 5. In this state, the guide member 54 of the developing tank 51 is disengaged from the guide body 71 on the support frame 28 side. Therefore, the developing device 8 can be taken out upward. As shown in FIG. 10B, if the developing device 8 is located at a position separated from the photoconductor 5, the manual knob 72 is rotated to rotate the developing roller 57 and the stirring roller 58 in the developing tank 51. 59 is rotated, and the agitated developer is supplied to the developing roller 57 as the developer is agitated. In this way, the rotation of the developing roller 57 or the like is manually changed by the photosensitive member 5.
This is possible at a position farther away. This is because the developer by the magnetic brush rubs the same surface of the photoconductor 5 when the photoconductor 5 is stopped, so that the surface of the photoconductor in that region is scratched or excess toner is prevented from adhering.

Next, the positioning with respect to the photoconductor 5 after the replacement of the developer or the replacement of the apparatus 8 itself will be described. When the developing device 8 is replaced, the device 8 itself is changed as shown in FIG. 10B.
It is attached to the support frame 28 as shown in FIG. In this apparatus state, the engaging portion 56 of the developing tank 51 is engaged with the shaft 67 of the positioning lever 65, and the guide member 54 is supported by the guide body 71a on the support frame 28 side. In this state,
When the positioning lever 65 is rotated clockwise, the developing device 8 is pushed by the shaft 67 and moved to the developing position facing the photoconductor 5. Then, as shown in FIG. 10A, the gap collar 53 provided in the developing tank 51 is brought into contact with the non-image area which is the peripheral surface of the photoconductor 5, and the gap between the photoconductor 5 and the developing roller 57 is kept constant. Be drunk Further, the positioning portion 55 provided in the developing tank 51
Engages with a positioning shaft 50 provided on the mounting member 28 of the photoconductor 5. As a result, the developing device 8 is reliably positioned with respect to the photoconductor 5. Since this positioning is performed by the spacing collar 53 and the positioning portion 55, vibration such as vertical movement of the developing device 8 is reliably regulated, and the spacing with the photoconductor 5 is not displaced by vibration or the like.

Here, the shaft 50 for positioning the developing device 8 is attached to the attachment member 29 of the photoconductor 5, but may be attached to the support frame 28. That is, the photoconductor 5 is supported by the support frame 28.
If the shaft 50 is provided on the support frame 28, the positioning of the photoconductor 5 and the developing device 8 can be ensured as long as they are reliably positioned at the prescribed position.

Next, the operation of the jam processing will be described. At the time of this jam, the transport system is opened as described above (see FIG. 12). As a result, the paper jammed in the transport path can be easily removed. Here, even if a paper jam occurs in a state of being in close contact with the photoconductor 5, the guide plates 72 and 73 hang down by its own weight, so that the paper is peeled from the photoconductor 5 and the jam processing can be easily performed.

Here, since the support frame 28 can be pulled out, if the support frame 28 is pulled out during the jam processing,
There is a risk that the jammed paper will be torn, stagnate in the conveyance path, or damage the photoconductor 5. In order to prevent this, the support frame 28 cannot be pulled out unless the transport path is opened. That is, at the time of jam processing, the support arm 81 is rotated before the support frame 28 is pulled out to open the conveyance system and the jammed paper is processed.

Further, in the paper transport system, the support arm 81 holding the support body 77 is connected to the transport body 84 related to the paper feed system, and the support arm 81 simultaneously releases the support body 77 and the transport body 84 from the transport path. The composition is adopted. According to this, the entire conveyance path is opened by one operation, so that the processing of jammed paper or the like is simplified. In addition, the support 77 and the carrier 84
Are opened at the same time, the copying operation will not start with either one being opened.

<Effect> According to the present invention, the recording medium is held by a supporting member that is provided so as to be rotatable in the axial direction so that the recording medium can be rotated, and the developing device is movably provided. A configuration is provided in which a positioning unit for performing positioning and a spacing member that secures a positional spacing between the recording medium and the developing unit are provided to position the developing device.
Since the positioning portions, particularly the positioning portions at these two locations, are positioned in the direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the developing device, the positional relationship between the vertical direction of the developing device and the moving direction of the developing device may be displaced (moved) due to vibration or the like. In particular, there is no fear that the gap between the surface of the developing roller and the surface of the recording medium is displaced. In particular, stable positional development can be ensured and vivid development can be expected without the positional relationship shifting due to vibration or the like caused by copying operation or the like.

Further, since the developing device is movably provided, the developing device can be easily attached to and detached from the support member when the developing device is displaced from the developing position, and the developing device alone can be replaced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the overall structure of an electrophotographic copying machine according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the process unit of the present invention is pulled out from the copying machine main body, and FIG. 3 is related to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the holding structure of the recording medium, FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of the recording medium, FIG. 5 is a side view showing the entire structure of the process unit portion of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is the opening of the recording medium. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the state, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the developing device, FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the developing device, and FIG. 9 is a side view of the device showing the drive system of the developing device.
FIG. 10A is a side view showing a positioning state of the developing device of the present invention in the process unit, FIG. 10B is a side view showing a separating position of the developing device of the present invention from the recording medium in the process unit, and FIG. 11 is a book. FIG. 12 is a side view showing the relationship between the process unit of the invention and the paper transport system, FIG. 12 is a side view showing the operating state of the transport system in the open position in FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is an external view of the box body of the cleaning device. FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the fixing portion of the cleaning device in the process unit. 5: photoconductor, 6: main corona discharger, 8: developing device, 13: cleaning device, 27: slide member, 28: support frame, 29:
Mounting member, 30: photoconductor rotating shaft, 50: positioning shaft, 51: developing tank, 53: spacing collar, 54: guide member, 55: positioning portion, 56: engaging portion, 57: developing roller, 65: positioning Lever, 6
7: Shaft, 71: Guide body

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hideaki Hagiwara 22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture (72) Inventor, Takashi Miyaji, 22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture (56) References JP-A-58-57157 (JP, A) JP-A-57-78066 (JP, A) Actual development 60-51554 (JP, U) Actual publication S54-1251 (JP, Y2)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A support member, which holds a recording medium via a rotary shaft and is slidable with respect to the apparatus main body in the rotary shaft direction, and develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the recording medium. A developing device movably and detachably held by the supporting member in the direction of the recording medium; and maintaining the developing device at a developing position facing the recording medium. Move to the attachment / detachment position,
A moving mechanism for releasing the developing device maintained at the developing position and moving the developing device to the attaching / detaching position, and a side end portion of the recording medium for maintaining a constant gap with the recording medium provided on the developing device side. On the side of the spacing member that is in contact with the supporting member that holds the recording medium, and at a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the contact portion between the spacing member and the recording medium, it is orthogonal to the moving direction of the developing device. A positioning member for positioning the developing device at the developing position provided in such a positional relationship, and moving the developing device to the recording medium side by the moving mechanism to bring the developing device into contact with the positioning member, thereby developing the developing device. A positioning device for a developing device, comprising: a positioning portion provided on the developing device side for positioning.